New HALO bars by ProBar - review and giveaway



These days I'm making a real effort to eat healthier foods (see my Forty Before Forty list, items #1 and #2), and although I think I might actually be on my way to breaking my addiction to junk food, those mid-morning and mid-afternoon munchies continue to be a real challenge. When you're starving and/or stressed, it's all too easy to end up with a bowlful of potato chips or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because all you're concerned about is satisfying that hunger, and you don't stop to think (or don't want to think).

The solution, of course, is to rid your pantry of unhealthy foods -- but deprivation is never the answer, because after weeks with only celery in the fridge I'm just going to drive over to Sprinkles Cupcakes or Cold Stone Creamery and pig out. Besides, I've got kids, so I need to keep some snacks like bagels and graham crackers, which are okay in small quantities, especially for kids, but all too easy for grownups like me to overindulge in.

This summer ProBar launched a new line of adult and kid-friendly snack bars called HALO. Like the name suggests, they are a healthier snack option you can indulge in without too much guilt. They're low in sugar, only 150 calories, with zero trans fats, 2 grams of fiber, and 3-5 grams of protein. The primary sugar used is organic brown rice syrup, which has a low glycemic index value so it gives you sustained energy without a dramatic spike (and dip) in blood sugar. They're vegan, dairy-free and all-natural.

Oh, did I mention they taste great? They come in four yummy flavors -- Nutty Marshmallow, Honey Graham, Rocky Road and S'mores. Who wouldn't want to try flavors like that?

The Basics
HALO- Satisfying your sweet tooth with zero grams of guilt. Introducing Halo™, the delicious between meals treat that’s designed to do your body good. With natural whole food ingredients and heavenly taste, these bars have such big flavors they take on a personality all their own.

HALO sent us samples of all four flavors so we could try them out. Here's what we thought of them:

The Bongga/The Blah
I didn't think I'd like this flavor -- I thought it would be sickly sweet -- but I was pleasantly surprised at the balance struck by the sweet marshmallow and the nutty flavors. There were peanuts scattered throughout the bar, giving it a nice crunch.


The Honey Graham bar had the most indistinct flavor out of all the four bars. It was sweet and satisfying, but it didn't really taste like a graham cracker. My kids were lukewarm about this flavor, and it did sort of feel like we were eating a regular, run-of-the-mill energy bar.


The rocky road flavor is my personal favorite. Hey, who doesn't like chocolate? The bar is dark and dense, which immediately fools my brain into thinking it's a lot more decadent than it really is. It has a strong chocolate flavor with a hint of nuts, just like any rocky road bar should be. If you close your eyes, you can easily imagine that you're biting into a brownie with nuts.


This was the all-around winner! Every single person in my family loved it! It's filled with chocolate chips, so every time you bite into one you feel like you're really indulging in a treat. I must admit I did not quite taste the "graham cracker" in this S'more (that was the same problem with the Honey Graham flavor), but it's still a really great-tasting bar.



The Bottom Line
HALO bars are a great between-meals option for adults and kids because they fill you up with good, healthy ingredients and taste a lot more decadent than they really are. You can actually have one without feeling guilty that you're cheating on your diet, or give your kids one without worrying that you're setting them up for a lifetime of junk food addiction!



Win a HALO Bars prize pack

One lucky Bonggamom Finds winner will receive a box of HALO bars with a women’s Osprey Courier bag embroidered with the PROBAR logo.

Required entry:
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which HALO Bar flavor you would most like to try. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).


1) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

2) Retweet my HALO bar giveaway tweet (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet).

3) Write this on the ProBar Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered to win a box of sinfully delicious HALO Bars on Bonggamom Finds! http://ow.ly/5xr2t

4) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered the HALO Bar giveaway! http://ow.ly/5xr2t


This giveaway ends at midnight PST on July 21, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on July 22 and post the winner's name on the comments section soon after. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!






Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

54 Comments, Leave yours here:

MOMFOREVERANDEVER on July 5, 2011 at 5:11 PM said...

rocky road mrs.mommyyatgmail

Karen on July 5, 2011 at 6:58 PM said...

Rocky Road would be my pick :)

Karen Gonyea
ktgonyea at gmail.com

Shelly Leatham on July 5, 2011 at 9:23 PM said...

I want to try the honey graham!
bleatham*at*gmail.com

Shelly Leatham on July 5, 2011 at 9:27 PM said...

RT 7/5
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/88463522903756800
bleatham(at)gmail.com

Shelly Leatham on July 5, 2011 at 9:31 PM said...

posted on Halo wall
https://www.facebook.com/theprobar?sk=app_103890722979364#!/theprobar/posts/118118734944437
bleatham*at*gmail.com

Shelly Leatham on July 5, 2011 at 9:32 PM said...

https://www.facebook.com/BonggamomFinds#!/BonggamomFinds/posts/240368265992000
Posted on your FB
bleatham*at*gmail.com

garth on July 6, 2011 at 7:37 AM said...

My favorite probar is the Cherry Pretzel, it is the perfect balance of sweet/salty....take them hiking, take them anywhere!

Laurie said...

I think I would like Smores!

karenmed409 on July 8, 2011 at 5:50 AM said...

Rocky Road for me!
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

karenmed409 on July 8, 2011 at 5:52 AM said...

wrote on your facebook wall
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150255568878151&id=100002394242718

karenmed409 at comcast dot net

karenmed409 on July 8, 2011 at 5:54 AM said...

wrote on Probar facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150252124058706&id=100002394242718
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

karenmed409 on July 8, 2011 at 5:55 AM said...

rt-https://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/89316590440550400
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

Shannon on July 8, 2011 at 7:19 PM said...

S'mores sounds good to me!

Shelly Leatham on July 8, 2011 at 9:54 PM said...

7/8 tweet
bleatham*at*gmail.com
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/89557723519258624

Teh Doll on July 9, 2011 at 8:08 AM said...

rocky road or the smores they both sound yummy.

dollhousecreation(at)hotmail(dot)com

karenmed409 on July 9, 2011 at 9:52 AM said...

daily tweet-https://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/89738400931917825
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

karenmed409 on July 10, 2011 at 1:49 PM said...

rt-https://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/90160520811905025
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

Shelly Leatham on July 10, 2011 at 9:44 PM said...

7/10 tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/90280055036575745
bleatham*at*gmail.com

karenmed409 on July 11, 2011 at 7:00 AM said...

rt-https://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/90419997360398336
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

Shelly Leatham on July 11, 2011 at 10:10 PM said...

7/11 tweeet
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/90648966961709057
bleatham*at*gmail.com

karenmed409 on July 12, 2011 at 7:35 AM said...

rt-https://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/90791352312401920
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

Elena on July 12, 2011 at 9:38 PM said...

I'd like to try Rocky Road

elena150980@yahoo.com

Elena on July 12, 2011 at 9:41 PM said...

Halo giveaway retweet:

http://twitter.com/#!/ElenaIstomina/status/91004065487654912

elena150980@yahoo.com

Elena on July 12, 2011 at 9:44 PM said...

wrote on your facebook wall:

http://www.facebook.com/BonggamomFinds?sk=wall#!/BonggamomFinds/posts/180010035396561

elena150980@yahoo.com

karenmed409 on July 13, 2011 at 6:54 AM said...

rt-https://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/91143179109273600
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

Elena on July 13, 2011 at 10:56 AM said...

daily RT:
http://twitter.com/#!/ElenaIstomina/status/91204270216581122

elena150980@yahoo.com

Shelly Leatham on July 13, 2011 at 8:48 PM said...

7/13 RT
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/91353063285211136
bleatham*at*gmail.com

karenmed409 on July 14, 2011 at 11:02 AM said...

rt-http://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/91568124696076288
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

Shelly Leatham on July 14, 2011 at 9:29 PM said...

7/14 RT
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/91725781260181505
bleatham*at*gmail.com

Shelly Leatham on July 14, 2011 at 9:29 PM said...

7/14 RT
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/91725781260181505
bleatham*at*gmail.com

karenmed409 on July 15, 2011 at 8:31 AM said...

rt-http://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/91892397352550400
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

Elena on July 15, 2011 at 3:35 PM said...

daily RT:

http://twitter.com/#!/ElenaIstomina/status/91999186916081664

elena150980@yahoo.com

justicecw on July 16, 2011 at 6:47 PM said...

I would love to try the rocky road! Thanks for the chance, justicecw@hotmail.com

justicecw on July 16, 2011 at 6:48 PM said...

I am a follower
justicecw@hotmail.com

justicecw on July 16, 2011 at 6:49 PM said...

Tweeted at http://twitter.com/justicecw/status/92410405602861057
justicecw@hotmail.com

justicecw on July 17, 2011 at 9:53 AM said...

7/17 tweet at http://twitter.com/justicecw/status/92637942211809280
justicecw@hotmail.com

Elena on July 17, 2011 at 12:58 PM said...

daily RT:

http://twitter.com/#!/ElenaIstomina/status/92684415918018560

elena150980@yahoo.com

Shelly Leatham on July 17, 2011 at 8:11 PM said...

7/17 RT
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/92793202020581377
bleatham*at*gmail.com

Elena on July 18, 2011 at 10:37 AM said...

daily RT:

http://twitter.com/#!/ElenaIstomina/status/93011117621776384

elena150980@yahoo.com

justicecw on July 18, 2011 at 2:55 PM said...

7/18 tweet at http://twitter.com/justicecw/status/93076400159985664
justicecw@hotmail.com

karenmed409 on July 18, 2011 at 4:25 PM said...

rt-http://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/93098913787158528
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

Shelly Leatham on July 18, 2011 at 9:16 PM said...

7/18 rt
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/93171700769886209
bleatham*at*gmail.com

karenmed409 on July 19, 2011 at 7:23 AM said...

rt-http://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/93324994230222848
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

Elena on July 19, 2011 at 12:38 PM said...

daily RT:

http://twitter.com/#!/ElenaIstomina/status/93403998358487041

elena150980@yahoo.com

justicecw on July 19, 2011 at 3:03 PM said...

7/19 tweet at http://twitter.com/justicecw/status/93440623360737280
justicecw@hotmail.com

Shelly Leatham on July 19, 2011 at 8:43 PM said...

7/19 tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/93526133399752704
bleatham*at*gmail.com

karenmed409 on July 20, 2011 at 5:19 AM said...

rt-http://twitter.com/gummasplace/status/93656124317908992
karenmed409 at comcast dot net

Elena on July 20, 2011 at 12:53 PM said...

daily tweet:

http://twitter.com/#!/ElenaIstomina/status/93770254244786176

elena150980@yahoo.com

justicecw on July 20, 2011 at 2:55 PM said...

7/20 tweet at http://mobile.twitter.com/justicecw/status/93800990846881792
justicecw@hotmail.com

Shelly Leatham on July 20, 2011 at 9:50 PM said...

7/20 RT
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/93905305380995072
bleatham*at*gmail.com

Seth on July 20, 2011 at 9:51 PM said...

Rocky Road is my fav ice cream, bet it makes a good bar too.

Anonymous said...

I would love to try Rocky Road! It's my favorite flavor of ice cream.

Shelly Leatham on July 21, 2011 at 8:52 PM said...

7/21 RT
bleatham*at*gmail.com
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/94253044644052992

bonggamom on August 2, 2011 at 11:43 AM said...

Congrats to the winner: #41, Elena!

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